A new decade-long survey of American congregations shows religious health and vitality are weaker than they were 10 years ago. While the survey showed that many congregations are adopting new technologies and innovative worship, there were steep drops in financial health and attendance at weekly worship services.
The Hartford Institute for Religion Research released the study’s findings Saturday in a report titled “A Decade of Change in American Congregations, 2000 ”“ 2010” authored by David A. Roozen.
From the article:
[blockquote]In the measured decade, churches, temples and synagogues told surveyors that congregations that were innovative and contemporary showed the highest amount of “high spiritual vitality.”
Forty-seven percent of congregations that said their worship experience was “innovative and contemporary” reported high spiritual vitality, versus 17% that said their congregations were “neither innovative nor contemporary.”[/blockquote]
It’s a good thing “innovative and contemporary” services came along, as “spiritual vitality” apparently depends on them so much. Just imagine: if the non-innovative and non-contemporary church services are associated with the likes of Christian heroes such as Paul, Augustine, Luther, and Wesley, think what kind of “spiritual vitality” the pop services of today should be able to produce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qo0V57INpA